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Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child returns with a gripping new powerhouse thriller featuring Jack Reacher, “one of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes” (The Washington Post).

Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. A tough year to graduate: Iraq, then Afghanistan. The ring is tiny, for a woman, and it has her initials engraved on the inside. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. He decides to find out. And find the woman. And return her ring. Why not?

So begins a harrowing journey that takes Reacher through the upper Midwest, from a lowlife bar on the sad side of small town to a dirt-blown crossroads in the middle of nowhere, encountering bikers, cops, crooks, muscle, and a missing persons PI who wears a suit and a tie in the Wyoming wilderness.

The deeper Reacher digs, and the more he learns, the more dangerous the terrain becomes. Turns out the ring was just a small link in a far darker chain. Powerful forces are guarding a vast criminal enterprise. Some lines should never be crossed. But then, neither should Reacher.

Praise for #1 bestselling author Lee Child and his Jack Reacher series

“There’s a reason why Child is considered the best of the best in the thriller genre.”—Associated Press

Product Details

About the Author

Lee Child is the author of twenty-two New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher thrillers, thirteen of which have having reached the #1 position, and the complete Jack Reacher story collection, No Middle Name. All his novels have been optioned for major motion pictures—including Jack Reacher (based on One Shot) and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Foreign rights in the Reacher series have sold in one hundred territories. A native of England and a former television director, Child lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

The pieces of the plot come together as Reacher's military pride and the community's illicit opioid use intersect. The bad actors are nominally the dealers, but The Midnight Line doesn't demonize its villains the way Child's books usually do. And the addicts aren't dismissed or treated as stereotypes. The book voices strong convictions about the issues that are raised here, and it's no stretch given Reacher's principled military background. The last chapters have more emotional heft than anything Child has written before.

The New York Times - Janet Maslin

★ 09/04/2017Bestseller Child’s superlative 22nd Jack Reacher novel picks up where 2015’s Make Me left off. While riding a bus in Wisconsin to the next “end-of-the-line place,” Reacher gets off at a rest stop “on the sad side of a small town.” In a pawn shop window, he spots a West Point ring, class of 2005, sized for a small woman. As a West Pointer himself, Reacher knows what it takes to earn that ring—and he wants to find out who it belonged to and why it was pawned. The trail takes him to Rapid City, S.Dak., where he encounters shady Arthur Scorpio—ostensibly a laundromat owner, but of interest to local police and a private investigator from Chicago—and, eventually, to Wyoming. The identity of the ring’s owner is established reasonably quickly, and her backstory (and what Reacher does about it) takes the reader from the wars in Afghanistan to the opioid crisis in America (including a damning thumbnail history of how corporate America has profited from selling heroin in one form or another and a devastating portrait of opioid addiction). As usual, Child makes his narrative entirely credible—and compulsively readable. Agent: Darley Anderson, Darley Anderson Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 11/01/2017In Child's latest Jack Reacher book (after Night School), his protagonist rambles into a Wisconsin pawnshop and notices a woman's 2005 West Point graduation ring. Knowing the effort a female cadet needed to earn the ring, he wonders: What motivated her to sell it? Reacher buys the ring, and after reading the initials inscribed inside, sets out to find his fellow alum. He quickly learns her name, Rose Sanderson; however, understanding her accomplishments requires more time. Along the way to the Wyoming wilderness and with the assistance of a former FBI agent and Rose's sister, he encounters musclemen, swindlers, bikers, and crooked cops who control a vast, illegal drug enterprise protecting opioid dealers and abusers as well as vets. Reacher also learns about the pains, sorrows, and fears Sanderson internalized while on duty in Iran and Afghanistan—and the residual effects she manages back home. Child places the present opioid crisis in context, which may help readers better understand drug use, especially among vets. VERDICT Child does a stellar job this time by not following his customary formula; his usually stoic hero who rarely displays softness and compassion is hit hard emotionally by this case. [See Prepub Alert, 5/15/17.]—Jerry P. Miller. Cambridge, MA

Library Journal

2017-09-04A glimpse of a West Point class ring in a pawn shop window sends Jack Reacher on his latest adventure in the 22nd entry in Child's (No Middle Name, 2017, etc.) series.On his latest travel to nowhere, Reacher, the peripatetic badass/guardian angel, steps off a bus at a rest stop and, while stretching his legs, glimpses a ring belonging to a female cadet. Knowing what it takes to earn that ring, especially for the women who still have to prove themselves to the military, Reacher buys it and, with nothing more than the initials inscribed inside to guide him, sets out to return to it to his fellow West Point alum. Of course it lands him in trouble, this time with a ring of opioid dealers, but at least he has a former FBI agent-turned-detective and the sister of the ring's owner for company. It's a good idea to give Reacher company since he plays well with others when they're on his side. How he plays badly with those who aren't is also part of the fun. So are the clever Sherlock-ian deductive skills that Reacher, a former Army investigator, puts to good use. Blessedly, there are none of the grisly moments that broke faith with readers in the series' last installment (Night School, 2016). And the book is very smart about illegal drugs, understanding that the face of the present crisis is largely white and rural and that the government's attempt to crack down on drugs ignores both the very real pleasure and the often necessary pain relief they bring to users, especially vets. The book makes a rather icky sentimental misstep toward the end. It does, however, suggest something that has not been visible in the series' previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher's wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. This return to form is also a hint of new ground to be covered.

Kirkus Reviews

Each year Lee Child comes up with another Reacher. Each year I lap it up. Love it . . . Here, there is something subversive as well as page-turning. . . . I don’t know another author so skilled at making me turn the page, at putting me in the thick of it all.”—The Times

“Reacher is the purest distillation of the white knight in contemporary mystery fiction. This novel is a tightly plotted ride with characters who will break your heart and linger after you close the book.”—Mystery Scene

“Reacher [is] one of the most alluring and popular characters in contemporary fiction. . . . As always in a Child novel, pace is fast, twists and turns surprise, characters are well-developed, dialogue is exactly right, and the plot is very plausible. . . . Highly entertaining . . . This one is among the best [in the series]. It doesn’t matter in what order you read them since each stands entirely on its own.”—The Washington Times

“Jack Reacher has become arguably the most iconic fictional hero we have.”—Men’s Health

“Compelling and moving . . . bold and mysterious.”—Associated Press

“This, Child’s twenty-second book in the series, has heart to spare, and it proves the franchise has plenty of gas left in its tank.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“Compulsively readable.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[A] multifaceted novel about dealing with the unthinkable . . . It’s automatic: Reacher gets off a bus, and Child lands on the New York Times bestseller list.”—Booklist

“The book is very smart . . . [and] suggests something that has not been visible in the series’ previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher’s wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. This return to form is also a hint of new ground to be covered.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Child does a stellar job this time by not following his customary formula; his usually stoic hero who rarely displays softness and compassion is hit hard emotionally by this case.”’—Library Journal (starred review)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

I loved this book, it was Reacher in military mode like the early books, I wish the &lsquo;government&rsquo; would sometimes use him in that capacity more often.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I have read every Reacher novel, novella, and short story. In my opinion, this one falls about in the middle of the pack. A good plot with decent supporting characters, but very light on the action.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

If this was my first Jack Riecher book, it would have been my last. The only reason I finished it, I thought it would get better, it didn't.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

No spoilers here . I read it in one sitting .enjoyed it .BUT it was a little heavier on emotion and slower on the action than most reacher novels

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

No personel connection . No Reacher history.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Not the best Jack Reacher but still a good read.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I was surprised that this was written by Lee Child. It&rsquo;s a shame. Very poorly written. I&rsquo;ve read several books by him and enjoyed them. It would seem that this was the one that had to break his pattern.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Reacher does what he does best. Pick up a lead and follow it to a satisfying conclusion. Lee Child has been and will be my go to author.
.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Boooorrrring. Child's books just get worse.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Garbage

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Overall a disappointing book. Way too much explanation of his first fight with group of guys that it was too hard to figure what was happening. Must not be a beer drinker because you get foam on your lip drinking draft beer not bottle. Last two books have been disappointing so I think for me at least, Reacher has driven off in the sunset one last time.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Boring!!!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Lee Child has James Patterson syndrome. Same story, less excitement, similar characters, snore. Rereading Bad Luck & Trouble to remember when Reacher kicked ass and the books were impossible to put down.
Don't get me started on the munchkin Tom Cruise's horrific attempts at playing Reacher.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Have read all of his books. I'm a big fan. I even pre-ordered this one. But I believe he has lost his steam. To much dialogugue. I found myself skimming papes, like 30 at a time just to get thru the book. I gave up on page 175, just too boring. Love the character, but something happened four books ago.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

A very good Veteran's Day weekend read!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Is Lee Child having a ghost writer do his books or just phoning in some 15 minute plot.
His last 3 books have lost all of the characteristics that made Jack Reacher books so interesting to read.
This is the last Lee Child book that I am buying...total waste of money and time

How boring can you make a book, well Lee has managed with this Reacher tale. More description of fight moves and Jacks turkey sized fists. Jack should fade into the sunset permanently.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Flat plot. Trying too hard to be current and left out the page turner value we expect of a Reach novel. At least with the heavy reminder of Reachers size there is no chance Tom Cruiz will get the role........what a major mistake that was!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I loved this book

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I&rsquo;ve read all the JR books and short stories. I&rsquo;ve liked them all, some more than others, some less than others. I like the JR character. In this book, although I figured out the &ldquo;catch&rdquo; early, it didn&rsquo;t hinder the story. And I always like how he&rsquo;s straight forward and honest about the difficult things while still being able to show compassion when he does. Of course, you always love his &ldquo;the step over the line&rdquo; mentality, which seems to balance the scales of justice in this world. Another good JR book. LC has so many series with characters I like, down side is, writing books take to much time! I&rsquo;m impatient.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

A very good read!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Enjoyed the tale.

Anonymous

21 days ago

Generally I find the Reacher books more like reading a comic book. They are filler books until I find something I'm interestred in reading. Reacher is like a comic book superhero. Not very realistic.

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